One of the best parts about my job is when I see students’ passion and drive translate to true success. This couldn’t ring more true than at Washington County Technical High School’s (WCTHS) new Applied Manufacturing Engineering program.
The new program equips students with the skills consistent with the needs of industry and gives them an edge in their pursuits after high school.
I was excited to learn that two students in the new program – Joseph Depp and Derek Eichelberger – recently earned their first SACA Silver Credential Certifications. Joe and Derek are the first two high school students in Maryland to earn SACA credentials.
The process of opening the new Applied Manufacturing Engineering at WCTHS has taken years and no one could have possibly imagined that when it finally opened this fall, it would be amid a pandemic. Against all odds, the brand-new program is still seeing a great deal of early success. This is a testament to the planning and execution by everyone involved at Washington County Public Schools and the drive of their students.
Dr. Boyd Michael, Superintendent, Washington County Public Schools is extremely proud of the whole-team effort that made this project a success even with the deck stacked against them. “We have not let anything hold us back from providing new opportunities to our students in Washington County as they prepare for the 21st century workforce.”
One of the pieces of the plan that has turned out to be critical to their early success was the selection of certifications and curriculum that allow students to work remotely. The SACA Industry 4.0 Silver Certifications, coupled with Amatrol’s eLearning allows students to learn and certify from anywhere they have internet access.
“When designing this program, we wanted something that allowed students to continue to work from home because we knew there would be some students who wanted to take their work further and we didn’t want to restrict their learning to being physically in the classroom. We had no idea at the time how critical this choice was for setting us up for success during the pandemic,” says Cody Pine, CTE Supervisor for Washington County Public Schools.
SACA certifications can be attained on two levels: Silver (those who pass the written knowledge exam online) and Gold (those who pass the written knowledge exam and successfully complete the hands-on performance assessments on approved equipment). While WCTHS students can currently continue to earn Silver certifications across different learning areas remotely, they will be able to revisit Gold certifications once classes are brought back to the classroom.
“Our students are extremely excited about the hands-on aspect of this program. When we were able to have students here in person earlier this fall, I had one student ask me if he could come in hours before school starts to have extra time with the training systems. You can’t say no to that! We can’t wait to see what these students achieve when they are back in the classroom full time.” Says Rodney Gayman, Principal of Washington County Technical High School.
Tim Hill, the AME program instructor, is equally excited about the new program and the opportunity it presents to his students. “We have a shop that is set up with the same type of equipment these students will see in industry. Regardless of where our students go once they leave our program, the skills they’ll gain in this program will better prepare them for their next step – whether that is community college, a university engineering program, or directly into the workforce.”
I asked both students – Derek and Joseph – about their experiences in the new WCTHS AME program and how they are planning for their futures. Here is what they had to say:
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Why did you decide to enroll in the AME program at WCTHS? What about it was interesting to you?
Derek Eichelberger: I went to WCTHS when I was in 10th grade to see the programs at the school. Originally, I was going to go to CISCO but after seeing engineering in person I found that I liked it a lot more.
Joseph Depp: When I was in 10th grade I took an intro to engineering class that really interested me and when I found out that there was going to be a new program at tech focusing on the same type of engineering I was taught in that class, I liked that idea and thought I would give it a try.
Did you have any experience with the types of equipment you are using in this class before you signed up? If so, what kind of experience?
DE: Not with any equipment in my class.
JD: I did not have any experience.
What have you enjoyed the most about the class so far?
DE: The content – I love learning about this stuff and I want to do more with it.
JD: Mostly all of it. I’ll admit sometimes taking notes gets a little boring but the notes have helped me figure out the machines and learn a lot more which in turn is pretty enjoyable.
What subject area / piece of training equipment are you most interested in learning more about?
DE: I would really like to learn about the CNC machines and using those to manufacture parts.
JD: The CNC machines and the Pneumatics because I like the idea of movable parts and things like that and I think it’s relatively interesting.
How do you think taking this class and earning industry certifications will impact your future?
DE: It will give me credentials while I am in high school for things that I would have had to do in a future school.
JD: I think that if I work hard enough these credentials could help me pursue a career in engineering.
Which credentials have you earned so far?
DE: I have earned my Silver credential in Electrical Systems and I am close to taking 3 more certification exams.
JD: I have earned the C-201 Electrical Systems 1 and the C-203 Variable Frequency Drives 1 credit so far.
Which credentials are you planning to pursue next?
DE: Safety Course, Quality Practices & Measurement
JD: I’m planning on taking the C-206 Electrical System Installation 1 because I am awaiting my scores for C-205 Sensor Logic Systems 1 I’ve taken.
Do you have any plans for after high school yet? If so, what do you want to do? College? Straight to work? Something else?
DE: So far, I am looking at going into the military and would go to college while in the military.
JD: I plan on going to college but also going straight to work to help pay for college.
Congratulations to both Joe and Derek on earning your first credentials! Keep it up! Everyone here at Amtek is excited to see this program continue to develop.
You can learn more about the new AME, AI/Cloud Computing, and CISCO programs at WCTHS in this recording of the virtual grand opening on their Facebook page.
